Insects view orchards as great places to eat and reproduce. New research has discovered ways to confuse, mislead, or eliminate insect pest problems, resulting in reduced use of insecticides. Growers can use synthetic insect sex pheromones and volatile feeding attractants to influence insect behavior and trick them into a variety of traps.

During the afternoon fruit-focused session, New Techniques for Outwitting Insect Pests in Tree Fruit Orchards, MSU tree fruit entomologist Larry Gut, will be discussing the research behind these new techniques and their effectiveness in tree fruit orchards.

“These new pest management innovations are crucial for protecting growers’ bottom line,” Gut said. “We’ve see a significant decrease in insecticides applications and an overall improvement in fruit quality.”

In addition to the the outwitting insect pests session, fruit growers can also attend sessions covering other orchard management strategies including precision tree fruit orchards and stone fruit production, high tunnels for berries and several sessions covering pollinators.